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The Forum: (In) Dependence

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(In) Dependence

29/07/2012 GMT

BBC World Service - The Forum, (In) Dependence

Where's the line between independence and dependency?

Why is it better to be independent than to need others? Or are we ignoring how inter-dependent we all are?

This month the Caribbean island of Jamaica celebrates 50 years of independence from the United Kingdom, an anniversary that's got added spice to it, because of the debate in Jamaica about whether it's time to take the next step and also break ties with the British monarchy. So what does independence mean? How easy is it to sever ties? And what is its relationship with dependency, both for a nation, and for an individual?  

Some of the questions we'll be debating on The Forum this week with the award winning Jamaican poet Olive Senior; Scottish writer Dennis O'Donnell, who spent years working in a closed psychiatric ward as an orderly; and Dr Adam Winstock, a clinical psychiatrist who specialises in drug addiction.

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